Saturday, September 8, 2012

Ely, NV

Covered 205 miles today and it was 205 miles of nothingness. This was the scenery or the entire drive along the Great Basin Parkway.

We’re at the Prospector Hotel, Casino and RV Park. Definitely nothing to write home about but $15 a night for full hook ups, works for us.

After getting set up, we drove out to the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park.

In 1872, Thomas Ward discovered silver near what's now Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park. To fuel the smelter, six 30'-high, parabolic charcoal ovens were built in 1873. The beehive-shape reflected heat back into the center, while three rows of vents around the base allowed for fine adjustment of temperature. It took 13 days to fill, burn, and empty a 35-cord oven. Each cord of wood produced about 30 bushels of charcoal. Eventually, the nearby timber was depleted, making the ovens less economical to use, and the smelter shut down in 1879.

The charcoal ovens were made of quartz that was quarried nearby. After their function as charcoal ovens ended, they served diverse purposes, such as sheltering stockmen and prospectors during foul weather and even serving as a hideout for stagecoach bandits.

We also stopped at the Ward Cemetery.I find it fascinating to wander through the grave sites and think about the people buried there and what their lives were like.